The end of Montgomeryshire

Shire committees are to be scrapped by Powys County Council as part of the authority’s cost cutting measures.

The council’s Democratic Services Committee yesterday proposed that meetings be reduced from by-monthly to quarterly but instead the council voted to scrap them completely.

Plaid Cymru Councillor Elwyn Vaughan claimed that the council could save £170,000 per year by scrapping the Shire committees, which he described as outdated - and he won support in a passionate debate.

The decision by the council will see an end to the Shire committees for Montgomeryshire, Breckonshire and Radnorshire which have existed since Powys County Council was formed as part of the local government reform of 1996.

The move will also see an end to the role of Shire committee chairs, which means that Councillor Joy Jones of Newtown will be the last chairman of the Montgomeryshire Committee.

The three chairmen of shire committees have provided a supporting role to the council chairman, carrying out civic duties across the county.

The Democratic Services Committee is to consider the civic role of the chairman at its’ next meeting.